Wednesday, May 20, San Antonio
I seldom read multiple novels by the same writers. That's partially due to writers often repeating a style. (After being excited by Hawaii, I burned out very quickly on books by James Michener!) But The Nickel Boys is the second novel I have read by Colson Whitehead within a month. That's because they have both been so well reviewed by major publications. Plus, they both have won Pulitzer Prizes for literature (which doesn't always mean much, but in this case does in my opinion). This novel is a riveting story that made me want to keep reading every time I picked it up to continue the story which is about a juvenile detention facility for boys (fictional story, but based on the stories of a real facility that existed in Florida) which mistreated the boys (the blacks far more than the whites), regularly hid the punishments administered and deaths that occurred there, had corrupted administrators who lined their pockets with money the boys earned and from selling much of the food to local businesses that was supposed to be served to the black boys, etc. It's a sad story that rings so true about corruption when it comes to justice related to black citizens in America. It is one of the best books I have ever read. I gave it 5 stars out of 5.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Friday, May 15, 2020
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Friday, May 15, 2020--San Antonio
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong is a beautifully written book filled with metaphors and similes and sometimes just simple statements that indicate very unique observations by the writer. It is written as a letter to his illiterate mother which means it was really written as a letter to his illiterate mother as a way to analyze and process what had happened in the history of his family and, in particular, in his life. The book was on the long list for the National Book Award in 2019 and has rave reviews from TIME, NPR, New York Times, etc. The central character is gay, but the book is about being gay only in the sense that it is a part of the author's telling about the life of an immigrant family and his part of it. I gave the book 4 stars out of 5.
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong is a beautifully written book filled with metaphors and similes and sometimes just simple statements that indicate very unique observations by the writer. It is written as a letter to his illiterate mother which means it was really written as a letter to his illiterate mother as a way to analyze and process what had happened in the history of his family and, in particular, in his life. The book was on the long list for the National Book Award in 2019 and has rave reviews from TIME, NPR, New York Times, etc. The central character is gay, but the book is about being gay only in the sense that it is a part of the author's telling about the life of an immigrant family and his part of it. I gave the book 4 stars out of 5.
Saturday, May 9, 2020
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Saturday, May 9, 2020--San Antonio, TX
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead won the National Book Award three years ago and the Pulitzer Prize the same year. It is NOT a book about the Underground Railroad. In fact, the railroad, when a part of the story, is a literal railroad with rails--one of the aspects of magical realism Whitehead uses to tell his story which really dwells on how bad the treatment of slaves was and how the USA, no matter what the Declaration of Independence says, was founded by white people for white people and that its whole history has been built upon the premise that white people assume the right to take what they want from non-whites and get rid of who they want who is non-white. Therefore, the story, with asides of magical realism about attempts to deal with the "problem" of the blacks in different ways--a state in the South that puts up a front of caring for the blacks while giving them limited opportunities and sterilizing them to assure they will never become the majority or a threat to whites, another state in the South that declares the existence of blacks to be illegal and hangs them from trees outside of towns and leaves them hanging there forever as a warning, and a northern state where blacks build an ideal community that comes to an end when the local whites start feeling threatened by their success--shines a mirror on the fact that things today in the USA are not much better for blacks than they were back then even though slavery is now abolished. It's a fascinating book that held my attention throughout. I gave it 5 stars out of 5!
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead won the National Book Award three years ago and the Pulitzer Prize the same year. It is NOT a book about the Underground Railroad. In fact, the railroad, when a part of the story, is a literal railroad with rails--one of the aspects of magical realism Whitehead uses to tell his story which really dwells on how bad the treatment of slaves was and how the USA, no matter what the Declaration of Independence says, was founded by white people for white people and that its whole history has been built upon the premise that white people assume the right to take what they want from non-whites and get rid of who they want who is non-white. Therefore, the story, with asides of magical realism about attempts to deal with the "problem" of the blacks in different ways--a state in the South that puts up a front of caring for the blacks while giving them limited opportunities and sterilizing them to assure they will never become the majority or a threat to whites, another state in the South that declares the existence of blacks to be illegal and hangs them from trees outside of towns and leaves them hanging there forever as a warning, and a northern state where blacks build an ideal community that comes to an end when the local whites start feeling threatened by their success--shines a mirror on the fact that things today in the USA are not much better for blacks than they were back then even though slavery is now abolished. It's a fascinating book that held my attention throughout. I gave it 5 stars out of 5!
Sunday, May 3, 2020
The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels
Sunday, May 3, 2020--San Antonio, TX
The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels includes religious pomposity, community fears, efforts to enforce "community standards", school bullying, schools' tendency to punish the one who reacts rather than the one who instigates problems, maternal love, paternal difficulty showing affection, parents' pressures for children to be what they what they would prefer them to be, homophobia, etc., all built around the story of a young gay man who left home to escape all of this in the early 80s just as AIDS was spreading and returned home 8 years later to die. It is a well written book published just this year which received a grade of A- from Entertainment Weekly and a recommendation in TIME. I gave the book 4 stars out of 5.
The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels includes religious pomposity, community fears, efforts to enforce "community standards", school bullying, schools' tendency to punish the one who reacts rather than the one who instigates problems, maternal love, paternal difficulty showing affection, parents' pressures for children to be what they what they would prefer them to be, homophobia, etc., all built around the story of a young gay man who left home to escape all of this in the early 80s just as AIDS was spreading and returned home 8 years later to die. It is a well written book published just this year which received a grade of A- from Entertainment Weekly and a recommendation in TIME. I gave the book 4 stars out of 5.
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegn
Wednesday, April 29, 2020--San Antonio, TX
I chose My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegn as my second book to read during the coronavirus stay-at-home directive. It wasn't the best choice even though it was about a woman trying to sleep time away. At least 3/4 of the book involved listings of drugs, TV shows, movies on videotape, etc., that the character was using to try to succeed--the drugs to put her to sleep and the others in hopes of assisting her toward that goal. I would have rather read a 3-page magazine short story about it rather than investing the time to read almost 300 pages. The book is well written, but just didn't keep my interest. I gave it 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
I chose My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegn as my second book to read during the coronavirus stay-at-home directive. It wasn't the best choice even though it was about a woman trying to sleep time away. At least 3/4 of the book involved listings of drugs, TV shows, movies on videotape, etc., that the character was using to try to succeed--the drugs to put her to sleep and the others in hopes of assisting her toward that goal. I would have rather read a 3-page magazine short story about it rather than investing the time to read almost 300 pages. The book is well written, but just didn't keep my interest. I gave it 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
Friday, April 24, 2020
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Friday, Apr. 24, 2020--San Antonio
I finished Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner earlier this week as my first book to read during the coronavirus stay-at-home order. I recalled that it was on almost every top-10 list of books from last year. Although the main character is a Jewish man who is only 5'5" tall and is facing problems in his life, especially marriage problems, the book essentially becomes about all the characters having problems in their lives after several years of marriage or after having never married at all. What I liked best about the novel is that every few pages, there would be something that would make me laugh aloud. That was great considering my isolation from the rest of the world right now. It's a good book and easy to read. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
I finished Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner earlier this week as my first book to read during the coronavirus stay-at-home order. I recalled that it was on almost every top-10 list of books from last year. Although the main character is a Jewish man who is only 5'5" tall and is facing problems in his life, especially marriage problems, the book essentially becomes about all the characters having problems in their lives after several years of marriage or after having never married at all. What I liked best about the novel is that every few pages, there would be something that would make me laugh aloud. That was great considering my isolation from the rest of the world right now. It's a good book and easy to read. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
Reading During the Coronavirus
Friday, April 24, 2020--San Antonio, TX
Normally, I do almost all of my reading of novels while I am traveling (which is anywhere from 2-6 months per year. Because my trips are long, I do not rush each day. I usually go out for 4-5 hours, return to my room or apartment, and maybe go out for another 1-2 hours later. Reading takes up most of my leisure time when not out exploring. But I also watch Netflix if I have decent Wi-Fi and spend time reading the news each day.
After the first 3 weeks of isolation at home during the coronavirus outbreak, I became tired of watching Netflix, reading the news, and playing online games. I realized that it was much like being on a trip where opportunities are limited in relation to the amount of time I had available. So I decided to add reading to my list of home activities.
I checked out my first book (using the Libby app for library eBooks) last Thursday and finished it by Tuesday. I am now on my second book which I will finish this weekend. I will continue reading as long as the stay-at-home order remains in effect. And I will add the books read to my list here with my brief comments and ratings.
Normally, I do almost all of my reading of novels while I am traveling (which is anywhere from 2-6 months per year. Because my trips are long, I do not rush each day. I usually go out for 4-5 hours, return to my room or apartment, and maybe go out for another 1-2 hours later. Reading takes up most of my leisure time when not out exploring. But I also watch Netflix if I have decent Wi-Fi and spend time reading the news each day.
After the first 3 weeks of isolation at home during the coronavirus outbreak, I became tired of watching Netflix, reading the news, and playing online games. I realized that it was much like being on a trip where opportunities are limited in relation to the amount of time I had available. So I decided to add reading to my list of home activities.
I checked out my first book (using the Libby app for library eBooks) last Thursday and finished it by Tuesday. I am now on my second book which I will finish this weekend. I will continue reading as long as the stay-at-home order remains in effect. And I will add the books read to my list here with my brief comments and ratings.
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